Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Another hot day headed this way. 72° right now, already a reminder to yesterday's heat. I have been out and about with Karl the Wonder Dog twice this morning and both times encountered deer and fawns having breakfast before it gets too hot.
Yesterday Gail and I got to the nursery early as we wanted to get going on a project along the Winooski River. I started this project in June but never had a chance to get back to it. Essentially we want big waves of color that are visible all summer for Route 2 traffic. Garden color is better than any other form of advertising as it stops people who can't stand not knowing what the garden color is all about. When finished, this piece will be a garden 180 feet long and 12 feet wide.
Yesterday Gail and I got to the nursery early as we wanted to get going on a project along the Winooski River. I started this project in June but never had a chance to get back to it. Essentially we want big waves of color that are visible all summer for Route 2 traffic. Garden color is better than any other form of advertising as it stops people who can't stand not knowing what the garden color is all about. When finished, this piece will be a garden 180 feet long and 12 feet wide.
Any soil near a river is not that good and this soil is really gravel with big stones and no organic material. Just digging the holes and removing the stones is a chore. I seem to be the chief digger now. For two years we were fortunate to have Austin work for us but this year Gail recommended him for job in Burlington where he attends UVM. Boy do we miss our digger! Austin seemed to enjoy digging and in fact dug hundreds of holes for us--something like 180 holes for mature hostas alone, hundreds more for daylilies and other flowers.
At the bottom of each hole we add composted maple leaves shredded last year. These act as a sponge and eventually provide minor elements that plants need. Then we add composted manure, lime and 10-10-10. This gets all mixed up, thoroughly watered and then the plants are installed.
Yesterday we added hydrangeas, coneflowers, anenomes, various daylilies in 4's, 5's and 6's, helianthus, a few more liatris and some more crocosmia. The heat caught up with us and we have a little more to plant this weekend and then I'll mulch the entire garden with an inch of last year's maple leaves. If you are visionary you can picture what this garden will look like next year. Painting in flowers is great fun!
Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where I notice the songbirds of summer are quieting their songs as fall approaches. Maples and birches in the mountains are showing what I would call premature color. This has been an unusual summer for sure! Come visit!
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
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